Author: lbuth0511de28fc

“I will never forgive that man!”

I stared at the red-faced man pounding the table. Always before, “Henry” struck me as a quiet, gentle man. Now the veins on his forehead bulged with emotion as he poured out his sad story.

Some years before, he and his wife, “Louella,” invested most of their retirement savings with a trusted business acquaintance who “let them in” on what he promised would bring a great return on their investment .

A few months and a lot of excuses later, the swindler skipped town. The shattered couple hired lawyers who tried for two years to bring the man to justice. Finally their attorneys told them it was hopeless. Henry and Louella ended up paying all court costs.

With only a few years left before his retirement, Henry could not begin to make up their financial loss and Louella’s disability made it impossible for her to hold a job.

Besides, in that small town, jobs were scarce.

Their retirement dreams and plans had to be set aside

I had known this dear Christian couple for a year or so but had no inkling of this. All I could do now was tell him how sorry I was. After awhile I softly brought up Jesus’ call to forgive our enemies.

Henry was having none of it. Once again he turned beet red and said, “No! It almost kills me that Louella and I have to live the way we do. That scoundrel stole the future we scrimped and saved for. People tell me I need to let it go, but I refuse to forgive him!”

Then he got up and stomped away from the table. Clearly, the con man took their money, but Henry’s continuing enmity robbed these two of something much more valuable than dollars and cents.

Their peace.

The cost of maintaining a heart of stone

Later that day I remembered the first time I glimpsed the fallout from unresolved anger. I was a high school freshman when my family moved to a new area and a new church.

One of the first things we observed was how every Sunday the same two families sat in the two front pews, one on the left and the other on the right. After the last hymn and the pastor’s benediction, both families marched out single file, each one staring straight ahead, never nodding or smiling to each other.

When I became good friends with one of the daughters I learned to know and love her parents, especially her smiling, always-had-a-joke-for-me father. But I sensed this was The Subject We Must Not Talk About.

Over time the gist of the story came together. Each brother lived with his wife and children on farms along the same country road. One mile apart. Ten years or so earlier, for whatever reason, these two brothers had a falling-out. Apparently they had not spoken to each other since then. Neither had their family members.

We also learned of the unspoken rule in that community: Invite only one brother (or his family members) to any birthday party or the like. A couple of times the hosts risked inviting both, but not telling either one beforehand. That never worked out well. Hardly anyone talked to anyone and the sense of celebration soon fizzled out.

You may wonder whether anyone tried to speak Bible truth and healing to these two. I know the answer is yes, but each brother answered, “No!”

Their families, whatever they thought individually, were caught in the middle.

The only balm for the pain

I’ve always loved this quote by Lewis B. Smedes:

“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.”

All the individuals I described earlier went to church and heard clear Bible teaching every Sunday, but they lived as prisoners. They didn’t have to. Even in situations where the other person will not budge, the one who feels wronged can be free. It starts by giving all that pain to Jesus–then leaving it there.

Sometimes the hurt and heaviness remains , even when we’ve prayed. That signals we need to take the next step: Deliberately decide to let it go.(Repeat as often as necessary.)

We may have every right to feel wronged, but to forgive means we give up that right. (I do not for one moment mean to imply that is easy to do!)

Unless we relinquish “our rights,” even saying, “I forgive you,” will be meaningless.

Healing that lasts

Real healing, lasting healing, comes only through the work of Christ’s Spirit. Sometimes it takes awhile to get to the place of feeling free.

Remember the message of Easter?

(Jesus said) “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” –John 8:36

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” –John 14:27

Jesus took all our pain to the cross. We still live on earth and we’re still flawed human beings. But we are not alone. He walks with us through each day and our every question finds its deepest answer in Him.

Dear reader, I wish you abiding peace in Jesus, every day of the year!

Lovingly,

Lenore

Anger can poison a life. For life.

April 15, 2026
We forget sometimes that everything starts with envisioning something that’s not yet reality.

Still, what sane person would stand before an enormous expanse of rough granite mountain and imagine he could hammer it, beat it or blast it into submission?

Only one: Gutzon Borglum and he was 60 years old when he began this project in 1927.

People called him a fool–and worse–but that didn’t stop him. Neither did South Dakota’s howling winds, thunderstorms, rain, frigid temperatures or blizzards, all of which he and his helpers experienced.

Borglum simply refused to give up on his dream. His vision for that enormous expanse of granite became a burning passion. It took over his life until he drew his last breath in 1941.

(To get some idea of the scale, take a look at those pine trees at the bottom of the photo. They’re not seedlings.)

We visited Mount Rushmore National Park when our four girls were growing up

For a long while we stood there transfixed while eagles circled high above our heads.

Before us were these four faces, each one 60 ft. high. It seemed we could look into the eyes of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.

Somehow it felt as if their eyes followed us when we walked from one side to the other. We spent a lot of time there, poring over the information booklet.

The inescapable question: How on earth did they do that?

“They” wouldn’t have done any of it without one man and his “crazy dream”

Gutzon Borglum and his determination made it happen. It’s that simple. Borglum, age 60, drilled the first holes in 1927.

Over the next 14 years he and 400 other men blasted away and chipped away more than 450,000 tons of granite from the face of the mountain. One exhausting day followed another.

Yet they kept on. Finally, in October, 1941, the Mount Rushmore National Memorial was officially declared done.

Sadly, six months before that date, Borglum died of an embolism. His son Lincoln Borglum headed the faithful group of family members, craftsmen and laborers who brought the project to completion.

Because Gutzon Borglum refused to give up his “crazy dream”, the United States of America has this national treasure, Mount Rushmore.

What’s your dream?

Some of us have kept chasing around a tired old dream for years. By now we’ve convinced ourselves our “mountain” is ay too huge and we waited too long. We have no chance of succeeding.

Or maybe we’ve said, “But that will take ___ years. If I start now, by the time I finish I’ll be ___ years old.”

Find your obvious answer in another question. “How old will I be in ___ years if I don’t do it?”

Here’s a promise of God that we can cherish at any age:

   As your days, so shall your strength be. –Deuteronomy 33:25b

Maybe it’s not too late

For starters, here are five people who got a late start.

Andrea Bocelli was told he was “too old” to sing at age 48, but he started singing anyway.

Susan Boyle, an unknown woman from a very small town in Scotland, made it on “Britain’s Got Talent” at age 48 and wowed everyone. You know the rest of her story.

Julia Child didn’t start cooking until age 40 and began her long-running PBS cooking show at age 51.

Harlan Sanders had a couple of other careers before he founded Kentucky Fried Chicken at age 65.

Grandma Moses never picked up a paintbrush until she was 75–and never took a lesson, yet she became famous.

How about you? If not now, when?

It doesn’t matter whether your dream is as big as Mount Rushmore or as small as mastering the perfect batch of fudge.

What matters is that we don’t assume we’re licked before we start, just because we didn’t begin years ago. At any age and any stage of life, goals and dreams give us a reason to keep going.

As for strength needed to do so, only one Source never gives out. That’s what the Apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4:13. Some of us know the truth of this promise first-hand, because we trusted it when we thought we had no strength left within us:

I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

Who knows what you and I may yet do or how we may bless the world?

As someone put it, “If you woke up this morning it’s a sign God still has something for you to do on this earth.”

That “something” might sound small, such as aiming to be one of those people who cheers everybody up simply by speaking about what’s good and hopeful. (Don’t you love people like that?)

But first we need to get in the habit of looking for what’s good. Any of us could do better at that if we simply stay aware and put in a bit of effort. It gets easier if we remember it is God who guides and enables and gives strength for each day, to all who trust him and ask in faith.

Now let’s be ready to get outside our personal comfort zone. And let’s get going!

Working on it, too,

Lenore
Who Declared Your Dream Is Impossible?

April 8, 2026
Those two commodities are in short supply these days, aren’t they?

We shouldn’t be surprised. Any time spent paying attention to the news almost surely will include reports of angry, often shouting people, protesting someone or something they’re unhappy with. That’s no surprise. People often disappoint us and let us down. So does life in general, apparently even for the rich and famous.

That inner nagger taunts us continually: Whatcha gonna do about it?

Thanks be, Easter is coming and its meaning can refresh our spirits

The Easter story really began the Friday before. A crowd gathered at a rocky hill outside Jerusalem. They could not look away from the horror unfolding before them. Three rough wooden crosses had been pounded into the rocky ground and three men had been nailed to them.

A few days before–on the day we now call Palm Sunday–Jesus, the man hanging on the center cross, had attracted cheering crowds. Now his life ebbed away as onlookers watched. Most of them had either seen him perform miracles or they had heard the reports. No one else turned water into fine wine or fed huge crowds of people with a few fish and a couple loaves of bread. Jesus stilled the raging storm and walked on water, healed the blind and the lame. Unbelievably, he even raised the dead back to life.

Now this One whom wind and water obeyed appeared to be utterly powerless.

How could this be?

After six hours Jesus drew his final breath of air

The Sabbath would begin at dusk so his followers implored the Roman guards to take his body down from the cross. Then these friends carried his body to a new tomb which had been cut into the side of a hill. They wrapped strips of linen and spices around his body, according to the custom of the times.

As for the religious authorities, they had long felt threatened by Jesus. Now they could breathe a collective sigh of relief. He was out of their way. After all, dead is dead.

It wasn’t long before new concerns filled their minds. What if someone stole his body and then pronounced it yet another miracle? The risk might be small, but these leaders pressured Roman authorities to have a boulder rolled across the tomb’s opening and seal the edges with melted wax. What’s more, armed guards were ordered to stand watch around the clock.

At last the religious leaders could relax and prepare to resume their life of power and position as before.

Then came Sunday, the third day

Just after dawn several followers of Jesus went to his grave at different times. They found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. All that remained were the strips of linen that had been wrapped around Jesus’ body. The burial cloth that had been around His head lay by itself, neatly folded up. (John 20:5-8.)

What could this mean? Each time an angel or a pair of angels appeared and told them, “He is not here. He is risen!” (Mark 16 and Luke 24)

Only then did they recall that Jesus told them several times that He would rise. Could this be what he meant?

Over the next weeks Jesus, very much alive, appeared to his followers and friends many times. He spoke with them and touched them–and they touched him. He ate with them and told them how much he loved them. Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit, to provide them with power so they could carry on his ministry on earth.

Their lives–and the sureness of their faith–would never be the same.

Thinking it through

God cannot die for any reason because He is eternal, without beginning and without end, therefore Jesus had to be true man. Yet Jesus had to be true God because one man cannot forgive sins or pay the price of sin for the world. Only God. Jesus was truly God and truly man (human).

Read the first few verses in the Gospel of John, which tell us the Word (Jesus) was present when God the Father created the world and everything in it. Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth as the Babe born to Mary in Bethlehem. At age 33, he began his ministry on earth, which culminated in his death on the cross. Three days later, he rose–was alive again, which is why we say he is our living Savior,

All this is beyond our human understanding

Tim Keller expressed that truth this way: “If God were small enough to be fully understood, He wouldn’t be big enough to be worshiped.”

The Bible tells us the “why” of Easter:

(Jesus said) “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that everyone who believes in him shall have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” –John 3:16 NIV

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” –John 10:10 NIV

All it costs us to be a Christian is to take God at his word and trust in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. The One who brings us hope when life feels hopeless. Who speaks comfort and peace in our times of pain and loss. Who offers love when we feel loveless and alone. In Jesus, our life endures beyond death.

No wonder we can have Easter joy even on our darkest days. No wonder we celebrate Easter every year!

Blessings to you and yours,

Lenore

Found: Hope and Joy That Light Up Dark Days

March 28, 2026
Reasons to be anxious flood the news 24/7.

We listen. We sigh. We pray. We’re deluged with rumors and statistics and more. What person who’s breathing and has a brain wouldn’t be at least a bit anxious?

All this goes on while “The Experts” warn that anxiety and stress are bad for our health and could shorten our lives, so we need to remain calm.

Here’s some good news for a change

There is a way to drive out fear and find strength for each new day. Best of all, this remedy has been tested and tried countless times, with no ill effects. This “Happiness Medicine” is yours for the taking.

Directions for use: Take in at least once a day and think what each “ingredient” means to you. Repeat as needed.

Remind yourself who’s really in charge

Recount the ways God has blessed you in the past

Recall his promises to be with you

Remember who you are–and Whose you are

Relax and enjoy the life he has given you

This “medicine” is available all over the world, at no charge and has no age limits.

Parents will reap a side bonus because professionals agree: When parents are calm, their children are less likely to be uptight and fearful.

How could something so simple make any difference?

Think how light overcomes darkness. When life threatens to overwhelm us we turn inward. Our minds fill with our mistakes and fears and at least for awhile, we lose sight of what’s good in our lives.

Anyone with a smidgen of faith in God knows that negative mindset doesn’t come from our Friend and Redeemer Jesus Christ. Rather, it’s the work of that troublesome old foe: the devil.

Satan will never quit trying, but take heart. Jesus Christ sets us free from bondage. .

So Jesus said … “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the the truth will set you free. … So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” –John 8:31-32, 36 ESV

Any time you feel that old pull downward, be armed and ready for battle

Uplifting books you read and podcasts can be helpful, but better yet, have a stash of strength Bible verses stored in your memory. Or keep a list somewhere that’s easy to pull up, because repeating these treasures over and over to yourself will put lift your heat and put starch in your spine.

We need to put the Good Stuff in if we want to get the good stuff out. To get you started, here are three of my favorites.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” —Isaiah 41:10 ESV

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. –Psalm 23:4 ESV

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. –Philippians 4:6-7 NIV

No matter what may come up in the future, those of us who believe in Jesus as our Savior need not quake in fear. In every situation we are not left to cope just on our own.

I find it helps a lot to start my morning by thanking God for the day and reminding myself who I am in Christ. I have Help. So do you if you love Jesus as your Savior.

Help today. Help tomorrow. And for all your life.

Trusting, too,

Lenore
Find inner peace by watching your diet

March 19, 2026
If you’re weary of “nothing happening” days and feeling frustrated for change, stop and rethink.

Think back to the time(s) a crisis of some sort caused you to wish you could go back a day. Or a week. Or a year. Back to before.

Before those medical tests.

Before that pink slip.

Before that stroke.

Before the “whatever” that seemed to come out of nowhere and turn your life upside down.

Next comes the nagging procession of “what ifs” and “if onlys”.

Do struggles ever have a purpose?

Here’s an old tale that may give us a bit of an answer:

One day a youngster burst into his home with excitement and rushed to show his mother his latest discovery. “What’s this, Mom?”

“That’s called a cocoon, Son. You might say it’s a butterfly-in-the-making. There’s a butterfly growing inside the shell, which protects it until the butterfly inside is ready to come out.”

One day, the boy noticed the cocoon starting to move. He watched and waited, trying his best to be patient. After awhile he said to himself, “That poor little butterfly needs help!”

So he found a pair of scissors and carefully cut away the hard brown shell. Then he cried, “Fly! Fly!” But the sorry-looking creature never did.

He ran to his mom and said, “Come look! I tried to make it easier for the butterfly to get out, but it just won’t fly. Why not?”

Mom hugged him and said, “You tried to help, Honey, but God created the butterfly so that when it’s just about ready to come out, it kicks and it pushes against the cocoon’s walls, over and over.

“It can take a long time to break through the shell, but the butterfly needs every kick and every push to get strong. Strong enough to break free of the shell so it can fly.”

What about you and me?

What if our down days, our boring days, and even our struggles actually help us grow strong–and strengthen our faith in God, too?

A Bible verse that has come to mean a lot to me is Ecclesiastes 7:14:

When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other.

Still, life can be hard. At first we may think ourselves able to handle a challenge with no problem. Before long we find out we’re not strong enough on our own. As never before, we turn to prayer.

I once heard a Bible teacher say, “No experience is ever wasted in the life of a Christian” and I thought, well, that’s nice.

By now I’ve lived long enough to understand that trials along the way do help develop my inner strength and my faith.

Living it out

Here’s how I understand it. If we’re still breathing and we have a pulse, God has something for us to do. Think about these Bible verses, for example:

For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

As your days, so shall your strength be. Deuteronomy 33:25

Whatever comes, we’re not on our own

By now I’ve learned to pray I will appreciate each day while I am living it.

Years ago I tacked these lines by Mary Jean Iron to my bulletin board. Maybe they will speak to your heart as they do to mine.

Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are …

Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect Tomorrow.

One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in my pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return.

May those simple words remind us to live each day as if it were God’s precious gift to us. Because it is.

(Even the days we label boring.)

Wishing you peace and JOY in every day,

Lenore

Could Feeling Bored Indicate We Are Blessed?

February 23, 2026
No doubt you’ve noticed that a lot of people are rather cynical about love and romance and marriage.

Can love last over the years? Yes!

An overheard conversation between two women probably nails at least part of the reason why. The younger one said (too loudly to miss): “I know so many couples who have split up, I wonder if it’s even possible to stay married, much less to stay in love and be happy.”

Oh, how I wanted to break in on that conversation! If I had, I would have said, “Yes it is possible! I know it is!”

I would have shared what my husband and I learned over many decades of a strong and happy marriage.

ONE: Commit to your marriage relationship instead of to keeping track of who-gave-the-most-today

How does one do that? By deciding every day that you love and value the one you married–and saying so–often.

Like any living thing, your marriage relationship needs regular feeding and watering if it’s to grow strong and healthy–and stay that way.

Make–and keep–each other and your marriage your top priority.

That sounds too pie-in-the-sky, doesn’t It?

What about our jobs? And our kids? If we don’t work we don’t eat! Besides, who has time and energy for “staying connected”?

A friend cherishes the memory of how his parents managed it. Money was tight, so they found the most economical way to be sure their two boys were well cared for. The husband worked days, leaving early in the morning, and the wife worked the swing shift, usually until 11 pm.

“Johnny’s” small bedroom was off the kitchen and his door wouldn’t close tightly . He saw how every night his dad dozed on the couch or in a recliner until just before 11 pm. Then he would get up, put the coffeepot on and get out a snack. When his mom arrived home, tired from her shift as a nurse, the two would hug each other for a long time, then sit around the kitchen table sipping coffee and listening as each one recounted their day.

Johnny loved hearing the murmur of his parents’ voices. The times he peeked out, they would be sitting close, maybe holding hands.

Good times or bad times, Johnny and his brother knew one thing for sure: Their parents loved each other–and them–so they felt secure.

What if you hit a dry spell and wonder where the “magic” went?

It helps to stop dwelling on “what went wrong”. Deliberately turn your thoughts away and go back in your memory to when the two of you were dating and the emotions you felt. Even if they’ve been buried under the minutia of daily living, that doesn’t mean they died. Some wise person said, “Act the way you want to feel and soon you’ll feel the way you act,” and it’s still true.

Forget the idea of keeping score on who gave most or who kept up their end of the job list. Seven days a week each one gives and takes and adjusts, always knowing the balance will keep changing–depending on the needs of the moment.

Decide to put the good stuff in to your marriage. Leftover scraps of time and energy may keep your relationship alive, but is that all you want?

Be at least as watchful of what you feed your marriage as of what you feed your dog.

TWO: Talk to each other, keeping it honest and kind

“We don’t communicate” is a frequent complaint, usually from wives to husbands. (Husbands are likely to answer, “What do you mean? We talk.”)

It helps to remember that God wires males and females differently. Just watch any small boy and girl. Little girls talk. And talk. And talk. Little boys make noises and poke and run around, often independently.

It’s no wonder girls and women naturally seem more comfortable talking and opening up.

Besides, most of us hold back from letting anyone know “the real me” until we feel utterly safe. Even within a good marriage, building trust takes awhile. Learning to be free and open with each other is an ongoing process–and it is easily destroyed.

Be patient–and guard this trust like the precious jewel it is.

THREE: Love, first, last and always

Our role model? Jesus. He said, “Love one another as I have loved you,” (John 13:34.)

To follow his example as marriage partners means we willingly set aside our own wants and needs for the sake of what our husband or wife wants or needs. Sometimes one “wins,” sometimes the other. Both partners know that whatever comes, each one can count on the other and together, they can handle whatever comes up.

When each one does this it becomes precious and mutually satisfying.

Good advice from the Apostle Paul

Paul keeps it simple as he counsels us how to live as God’s people, whether married or single:

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.     Ephesians 4:2

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.    Corinthians 13:4-8a

Nobody’s perfect, but always, we have choices

Married or single, we can choose whom we listen to and whom we consider our role models. Those of us who are Christians tune our hearts to truths from the Bible. Truths that have stood over the centuries.

Which will it be for you?

Wishing you joy in your life, always,

Lenore

What Does It Take To Grow A Strong Marriage?

February 14, 2026
If you’re a frequent reader you already know I have a somewhat quirky mind. That’s probably why I like this Einstein quote:

“If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.”

The first time I read those words I laughed, but then their logic hit me.

It seems clear to me that Einstein was talking about people, not fish. His wisdom applies to each of us in our relationships–and to our children, at any age, any stage of life.

Think about it. Don’t we often judge people by what we expect of them, rather than by what they’re capable of?

Even people we love?

I remember hearing a long-ago radio profile piece that celebrated the late Frank Loesser, a beloved composer and lyricist, which made me think of Einstein’s quote.

You may be asking yourself, WHO? He’s one of those famous people whose name most of us never paid attention to. Loesser composed over 700 tunes, many of them featured in Broadway musicals and in more than 60 movies. He died in the last century, but his music lives on.

You’ve heard his songs if you ever viewed movies like Guys and Dolls or How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, to name just two. As for specific songs, a few of the most popular are, “I Don’t Want to Walk Without You, Baby”; “Standing On A Corner, Watching All the Girls Go By”; “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”; “If I Were A Bell, I Would Ring It”; and on and on.

Frank Loesser’s parents must have been bursting with pride. Right?

Well, not quite

Music reigned supreme in the Loesser family and Frank’s father was a professional pianist. Young Frank, although musically gifted, did not live up to parental expectations. He enrolled in New York’s City College but dropped out after just a year. He tried a number of jobs, then finally ended up performing in a night club with a singer.

A night club. As you might guess, this did not fit his parents’ expectations.

Big brother, Arthur, aka, the “good son,” fit the family mold perfectly. He gave numerous piano concerts and recitals, then taught at the well-respected Cleveland Institute of Music and went on to become head of the piano department.

Arthur considered his younger brother the black sheep of the family. He dismissed Frank’s remarkable achievements as “lowbrow” music, hardly worthy of being called “music.” Apparently he never wavered from that view.

Big-name performers were singing his songs and people all over America loved his music, yet none of that quite filled the void within Frank Loesser.

Deep down he always knew he failed to meet his family’s standards.

There’s a caution here for all of us

You and I may not go to the same extremes, but we easily can fall into the same trap. All it takes is forming a mental picture of what our child, our spouse, or anyone else in our world should be.

The better way is to look for and applaud the individual’s God-given strengths and talents and allow them to be who they are. (Isn’t that what we want for ourselves?)

As always, it’s good to remind ourselves that God creates each of us one-of-a-kind–and isn’t that a wonderful thing? It’s as the psalmist said in Psalm 139:14:

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. — NIV

We deny the truth of that verse when we conclude that a person isn’t making it because he or she doesn’t live up to our expectations. Whether or not we mean it to, that mindset comes through in our everyday interactions with that individual. Children and teens especially pick up on this, even if words of disappointment never are spoken out loud.

Think of it as a sort of deep undercurrent that undermines relationships, whether it’s husband and wife, parent and child, or with co-workers or neighbors.

Sometimes we do the same thing to ourselves

Count me in on that. I have a long list of “shoulds” for myself. Most are self-inflicted, but some were imposed by others. Or I thought they were.

Some have nothing to do with who I am or what I could actually do. Like many people, this never prevents me from raking myself over the coals of guilt for all the ways I “fail.”

So I have a couple of questions for you: Do you know any “fish” that find themselves being expected to climb trees? Do you ever get caught in this trap?

Albert Einstein wants to know.

Still and always learning,

Lenore

Albert Einstein teaches us about human potential

February 3, 2026
I don’t know about you, but lately I am “up to here” with endless accounts of corruption, name-calling and reasons to be fearful.

If I were one of the characters in an old cowboy movie, I might say, “Ah hanker to hear somethin’ good.”

In those movies two sunburned cowhands might be looking up at a fiery sunset. One would spit out the blade of grass between his teeth and say, “Well, sure, Shorty. Reckon Ah ‘kin do that.”

Maybe he’d stretch long and tall, then pick up his guitar and sing a song with a catchy refrain. It might even be the song many of us learned as children. Remember?

“Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam, where the deer and the antelope play.

“Where seldom is heard a discouraging word and the skies are not cloudy all day.”

Nobody cared whether that cowboy-turned-philosopher could sing. He had heart. Hearing words like that lifted our hearts and made us thankful to live in such a great Country.

Maybe we should start a movement right where we are

The only qualification for membership is that we focus on what’s right–and talk about it.

Let’s not stop there. Let’s be the ones who speak the good word, whether to our children and grandchildren or to our friends and neighbors.

Most of us can think of a time when we were scraping the bottom of our ability to cope. When someone quietly spoke hope to us. How? Keep it simple, something like, “I know it will work out for you. Remember, I’m praying for you and I’m ready to listen any time.”

People can live a long time on one encouraging remark.

One quality which unites us, rich or poor, young or old

Every one of us, whatever our age, longs to hear words like these:

“I believe in you.”

“You’re working hard and that always pays off, even when it takes awhile.”

“Of course you’ll make it through this. Look at all you have going for you.”

“I can see you’re learning and growing. That’s the best way to reach your goals.”

“I know you’ll find a job and who knows? It may be the best job you ever had.”

“God is faithful and He will carry you through this.”

Who needs words like these?

Truett Cathy, the founder of the Chick-Fil-A restaurant chain, put it this way.

“How do you know if someone needs encouragement? If they’re breathing.”

The great thing about lifting another person’s mood is that it raises our spirits, too. Before long we start getting back what we’ve been giving out. Other people find us easy to be around.

It means we focus on the possible, not the impossible.

More often than seems logical, the difference between who succeeds and who fails is that one believes they will and the other hopes they will.

What made the difference? Someone planted that vision, probably more than once. Then the planter watered it with repetition, love and encouragement.

King Solomon talked about that long ago

He’s the one who wrote these words:

An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.  –Proverbs 12:25

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. –Proverbs 16:24

A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. –Proverbs 25:11

Our heartfelt words can change night into day for someone else. God promises to hear us when we pray for guidance and courage to reach out.

Let’s vow to throw out dark, discouraging words and substitute words that bring sunshine instead of clouds. Let’s resolve to lift hearts instead of feeding the despair all around us. Here’s what we do know for sure:

Even if we can’t change the world, we can affect the climate where we live. After all, we hear every word we say. This means we can give our own hearts a lift, too. Doesn’t that make it worth a try?

Working on it, too,

Lenore
How Do We Stay Up in a Down World?

January 21, 2026
Whether we greet the morning with a grin or a groan, every dawn propels us into the unknown

All we know for sure is what yesterday looked like. But this day? Who knows?

Some of us consider our life to be good, others not so much. Perhaps our circumstances seemed right at the start and then our life took a turn we never imagined. Or wanted.

Does that make us powerless?

I say No. Why would I/how could I say that?

Because we still choose how we will handle what comes. Will we live with fear? Or with calm? Without fail, we get to decide.

I didn’t always understand that. Then I ran across a Dale Carnegie quote that made me think. After reading it once, I read it again, a couple of times. Aloud. Slowly.

“Two men looked out from prison bars, One saw the mud, the other saw stars.”

For whatever reason, those words made me squirm. I heard that voice in my mind asking, What about me? What did I choose to see when I looked at my life?

How often did I cheat myself of seeing the stars?

Do our attitudes color our perception?

Always, we are individuals, not peas in a pod with identical lives. Some people live in the middle of a hard situation that offers little or no hope of getting better, yet they remain cheerful, even calm. How?

Like the prisoner who chose to look up at the stars, where we fix our attention greatly affects how we see our lives. How we think affects the people around us, too. That old saying, “If Mama ain’t happy ain’t nobody happy” also applies to Papa. Our moods trickle down to our children and to everyone in our lives.

In this age of information overload we can’t escape hearing news reports and warnings, morning, noon and night. Often we struggle to keep fear from getting the upper hand.

Even when life is good. Even when we believe in God.

Everyone’s life story includes ups and downs

Times when nothing seemed to work out right. Times we felt alone and comfortless. Even strong Christians can feel weak and empty now and then.

Yet through it all we believe God has not walked away from us and washed his hands of us.

Clearly, we are not the first to experience these emotions. Otherwise, why would the Bible include so much hope and reassurance? For example, check Isaiah 43:1-5; Psalm 139, especially verses 1-18; or John 14:27.

It helps to know where to find favorite Bible verses

Have you ever remembered part of a Bible verse, but not where to find it? Technology comes in handy here, even for us non-techies.

Just enter the words you recall into any general search engine on your computer or smart phone. Almost instantly the complete verse and where to find it will appear on the screen. Sometimes the verse will pop up in several Bible translations. It’s easy to scroll through until you locate the one that matches what you’re trying to recall.

Note: Even when one translation of the Bible varies from another, the core meaning of the text does not change. That traces back to the original texts, which all were written in Latin (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament).

Feel free to mark up your printed Bible

Long ago I started keeping track of verses by underlining them or marking them in some way. I started also keeping notes where to find them on the blank pages at the back of my Bible. My system was and is rather haphazard, but it works for me.

Here are two verses I underlined years ago:

I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life … –Deuteronomy 30:19-20

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. –Lamentations 3:22-23

Never ceases. Never come to an end. New every morning.

Armed with reassurances like these you and I can prance into the unknown, unafraid. (And we will prance, won’t we?)

Wishing you joy and peace,

Lenore

Good news! Every Day Is A New Beginning

January 14, 2026
Ask this question of a random group of people and answers will be all over the place.

One person may say, “I guess it’s kind of a nice story, but I can’t relate. I mean, this is the 21st century. How does a story about a baby in a manger have any meaning for us today?”

Another may say, “I think all religions are pretty much the same, so what difference does it make? We’re all headed for the same place, no matter how we get there. Isn’t that the bottom line?”

For people around the world who come to faith in Jesus, the story of that first Christmas is life-changing.

Here’s the true story of one such man, who found this to be true

I heard about a businessman, “Kevin,” who years ago had to spend some time overseas. He noticed he was scheduled for a free day in the city his college roommate called “home.” After a lengthy Internet search he arranged to meet with his old friend.

Kevin and “Abbud,” met in a quiet cafe and found a table toward the back. Immediately they slipped into the easy comfort of good friends reunited and talked for hours. After awhile Kevin mentioned he had been aware his friend came from a non-Christian background, but he hadn’t known how to talk about it.

Abbud carefully looked all around the space, then speaking almost in a whisper, he said, “That was true then, but no more. Believe me, I do not say this to many people. At home my wife ‘Alika’ and I find ways to hear and to watch broadcasts and telecasts from the West. Of course, we are very, very careful.

“When first we heard the good news of the Gospel we right away gave our hearts to Jesus.

Kevin said nothing for awhile, then cleared his throat and murmured, “This is an answer to prayer, my friend. Those years we shared a room it didn’t seem important–and besides, I thought I needed the ‘right’ words to talk about faith. I’ve wished ever since that I said something. I’ve prayed for you, really, I have.”

For awhile the two men sat quietly, sipping their coffee. Then Kevin asked, “Could I ask what differences you find between the two religions?”

Abbud answered quietly, but without hesitation, “It is night and day! We all were taught that God is impossibly far from human beings, but still we must try our hardest to reach toward Him through being faithful in our spiritual practices.

“Imagine what it means now, to know that in Jesus, God came to earth as an infant, just so he could live among human beings. Among people like us!

“It still amazes me every time I think that God came to us!

“You probably don’t remember, but the last day of school you gave me a little Bible and told me to read it on the long flight back home. I just tucked it into my bag and never opened it, kept it hidden all these years.

“Now I could not stop reading. The more I read, the more I was amazed. In Exodus it tells how God dwelt with His people, the Israelites, there in the wilderness. God went before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. He even spoke to Moses directly!

“Then Alika and I read it was God’s plan all along to send His Son to earth. He came to pay the price of all our sins. He came to set us right with holy God. We could live free from fear, free from condemnation. Right away I felt lighter, as if someone unlocked my heavy chains.

“Jesus did it all! For me! I will never be the same. No matter what comes next, I have peace in my heart–and so does my wife.”

Abbud’s dark eyes shone as he said, “So for us, this is what’s different about the Christian faith. Knowing that Jesus is for us and with us sets our hearts at rest.”

The Christmas story is more than just a charming holiday tale

First, plug into your awareness that this is more than just an unusual story about a baby. In the Bible, Jesus often is called the Word, as in the Gospel of John 1:1-5, 14; 3:16-17:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. he was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

The Christian faith is not about a far-off, distant god or a monument

Nor is it about magnificent temples or cities where followers must go and worship to prove their faithfulness. It’s not even about living up to a list of dos and don’ts.

The Christian faith is all about our Lord being up close and personal for every one of us. Our Savior and best Friend. Our Comforter. Our strength. Our Deliverer. Our Peace. Our Joy.

That’s why God came to earth, born as a human baby to a human mother, there in Bethlehem. Fully human and fully God.

He came for you. For me. And for all the world.

That’s the heart of what we call the Christmas story.

Dear Reader, whoever you are and wherever you may be, may your heart be filled with the peace and joy of Jesus this Christmas and every day of the New Year!

Lenore

What do you think? Is the Christmas Story just a story?

December 16, 2025